Solidarity with Afrin

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Socialist Resistance is proud to stand in solidarity with the Kurdish people in their struggle for self determination and against the repressive behaviour of all the reactionary regimes in the region – not least of course the Turkish state, writes Veronica Fagan.

Erdogan has been determinedly opposed to the message that Rojava puts forward; of democratic confederalism in which all nationalities and religions can live together peacefully, with their democratic rights respected. And many of those under attack in Afrin today are not Kurdish, but people of other nationalities fleeing the twin barbarisms of Assad and Daesh.

We were asked to provide a speaker for the London demonstration which was part of World Afrin Day on Saturday 24th March – but unfortunately we were unable to do so because of a combination of people being away or sick. We did send the message below, which was not received in time to be delivered that day but was read to the large Newroz (New Year) celebrations in Finsbury Park the following day.

The London demonstration was addressed by the family of Anna Campbell, while actions also took place in Dundee and in Manchester, where there were a number of bridges occupied, as well as in other parts of Europe.

Socialist Resistance is sorry we are unable to send anyone to speak at this important demonstration today as part of world Afrin day – after the barbarity we have seen in that city these last weeks by the Turkish state.

We note the tragic death of Anna Campbell who went to Afrin because of her conviction that this was the best way to support the struggle for women’s liberation. We salute the way her family have defended her decision to go to fight, while both disagreeing with it and being wracked with grief. We support the demand to bring her body home

We note that on international Women’s Day (March 8), Kurdish women launched a call for a global women’s movement, to “turn the 21st century into an era of women’s freedom”. Women across the world have looked and continue to look to Rojava as a standard bearer in the fight for women’s liberation.

This, as well as attacking democracy and the right of the Kurdish people to self determination is why the Turkish state and their reactionary allies are so determined to destroy Afrin and the beacon of hope that Rojava represents.

At the same time it is not only Kurdish forces and communities under brutal attack. We also completely condemn the massacres that have taken place in Eastern Ghoutta since the beginning of the year and believe that there will be no peace in Syria for any of its peoples while the Assad regime remains in place.

In this we support the approach of the Alliance for Middle East Socialists who have argued

“In the face of this counter-revolutionary consensus, what is desperately needed is solidarity between all (Arabs, Kurds and all other ethnic minorities) revolutionaries who are against the Assad regime and all the regional and international imperialist powers and support the struggles for social justice, women’s rights and the rights of oppressed minorities”.

We call on the British government – and indeed all European governments – to lift the ban on the PKK.